


Birthday Wishes

by mirelia853



Series: Elliott's Muse [1]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Birthday, Day 9, F/M, Fluff, Stardew Valley 30 Day Challenge, drunk friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 23:50:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8821189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirelia853/pseuds/mirelia853
Summary: Elliott doesn't like birthdays too much - until a certain farmer comes to visit him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely based on Day 9 of the ‘Stardew Valley 30 Day Challenge’. There may be other challenges written. More Elliott love!

It was a cold autumn day when Elliott returned to his hut. It was a day he’d really rather forget – his birthday. Ever since he was a teenager, he’d grown to hate birthdays – and his family seemed to be on trips whenever it happened. Although he claimed he was fine to Leah when she gave him a present (A pomegranate – which he loved), he was not sure he wanted to spend too much time with his friend. Promising to see Leah for a drink on Friday, he left and went home. Part of him had hoped the farmer would stop by.

Natalia had turned up in Stardew Valley at the start of spring and already she had become part of his life, firing his imagination. He even wondered if the woman with the auburn hair and hazel eyes could be his muse. Not that he would tell her. Elliott knew he was not the only person who had his eye on her, even Leah seeming to stare a little too long at her. 

Walking into his cabin, he knew she’d been there. There was a sweet smell of grass. Quelling the disappointment, he looked round – suddenly spying a basket on his piano stool that had not been there before he left. Smiling, Elliott opened the basket and inside was a variety of items, a jar of strawberry jelly, a bottle of what looked like apple juice and raw sashimi, something Elliott rarely had. Lifting the items out, he saw a piece of paper. Unfolding it, he saw Natalia’s neat writing. 

_Dear Elliott,_  
_Happy Birthday!_  
_Sorry I was not able to deliver your gift in person, but I hope you like it anyhow._  
_You’ve been my closest friend while I’ve been in Stardew Valley and I hope I managed to figure out just what it is you like and don’t like._  
_Hope you have a good day and see you soon._  
_Nat x_  
_PS. The best present is at the bottom of the basket!_

Puzzled, he saw an item wrapped in a piece of cloth. Unwrapping it, he felt his stomach flip. An iridescent duck feather carved into a nib at the end. He could not believe it. He had only said to Natalia a few weeks earlier how he needed a new quill – and she’d listened to him, stored this information away. Covering the sashimi over, he took the empty basket and quickly put some cookies Evelyn had given him earlier that day and a bottle of wine he’d saved for a special occasion into the basket and walked out of the cabin. 

+=+=+

Knocking on the farmhouse door, he heard the dog barking. A voice told the dog to hush before pulling the door open. She looked surprised before smiling at him. 

“Elliott! Good to see you!”

He could feel himself blush. “I hope you don’t mind, I just wanted to bring your basket back.” Smooth, Elliott. So much for being a poet and an author. He was just about to hand it across when she opened the door fully. 

“Oh where are my manners. Please come in.” That was when he realised she had damp hair, braided, a style he’d never seen on her before and a very casual pair of trousers and top but not something he’d seen her wear for work. 

“I don’t mean to disturb you. I merely wanted to share my cookies Evelyn gave me and a bottle of wine as well.” He held the basket out to her as she seemed to pause before taking it off him.  
“Cookies and wine. You really do know how to spoil a girl, Elliott.” 

He saw the wink and breathed deeply before pulling the mask down to cover his emotions, “I do my best, Natalia.”

She poured two glasses of wine for them, put the cookies on a plate before correcting him. “Nat, please. And take a seat, I’ll bring the rest across.” He took the glass she held out to him before sitting down on the sofa in front of the fire. Her dog, Cece, a Labrador-cross, had a soft spot for Elliott and came over, wagging her tail. He was no dog person but those large brown eyes persuaded him to like her. 

Natalia sat next to him, a space between them before she put the cookies between them. “So, happy birthday. Did you do anything to celebrate?”

He watched her curl her legs up and semi-face him before taking her first cookie. He frowned and ran a finger round the edge of the glass. “My day was little different than any other except Leah and Evelyn gave me gifts as well.”

Natalia sipped her drink before saying, “You don’t seem awfully comfortable with birthdays, Elliott.”

He looked at his friend in surprise. “How well you read me. My family have never seen my birthday as special and so it feels strange to have others see it as such… well, let’s say it’s not my favourite day of the year.”

Natalia frowned before she continued. “It’s not mine either. But I like seeing other people enjoy their day, seeing the smiles they give me. Hey, I even got a grin out of Shane on his birthday this year.”

He gave her a small smile, knowing how rare a smile from Shane was. “If you don’t mind me asking, when IS your birthday?” It seemed a shame that the woman who loved giving gifts had been given none herself.

She seemed uncomfortable with his question. “It’s already gone this year, it was in summer.” Pausing he was about to say Natalia didn’t need to tell him when she said, “If you promise not to tell anyone, I’ll tell you. It’s Summer 23.”

Elliott nodded, “I promise, anything you tell me will be in the strictest confidence, Nat.” It seemed strange calling her by a nickname. It was not something he did normally.

He was happy to be rewarded by a shy smile. “Thank you, Elliott.”

They chatted about various things, foods she was growing, how he was coming along with his book (nearly finished), the previously awkward tension between them disappearing. A second glass of wine each and Natalia was curled up against the back of the sofa.

“You must come for a drink on Friday night. Leah invited me out to celebrate my birthday.” He could hear a slight slur in his words, wondering if he should stop drinking for now. This wine was stronger than he was used to. 

“Oh, I couldn’t do that. I mean I don’t want to interfere when she’s invited you out.” 

Elliott looked confused before wondering if Natalia had thought there was something between him and Leah. “Oh, no I didn’t mean she invited me like that. We’re just friends nothing more. Besides, she really likes you. Says you’re the best thing to happen to the Valley in ages.”

He saw her blush. “Oh well, in that case, I’d love to come.”

Elliott could not help the crooked smile that spread across his face and he hoped Leah really wouldn’t mind him inviting Natalia on the spur of the moment. He liked both women but the more he thought about it, the more Natalia really did appeal to him. 

He took a cookie and stood up, hoping he didn’t look too drunk. “I think I should go. But thank you for my birthday present.” He put his hand out to his friend. “The quill was especially lovely.” Natalia accepted his hand and smiled as she got out of the seat. 

“Glad you liked it. Marnie gave me the feather and I thought you’d could use it.”

Seeing his chance, he kissed her on the cheek before quickly making his way to the door. “Thank you again, Nat. And Friday, I’ll see you then.”

Making his way out of the door, he did not see the shocked look on Natalia’s face, the hand on her cheek.


End file.
